Fight Song

Beverly Hills turned 100 on Tuesday and celebrated with a concert and sing-along featuring notable current and former residents. Betty White kicked off the evening at the historic Saban Theater by singing a spirited rendition of the Beverly Hills High School fight song. The veteran TV and film star, 92, was flanked by Beverly Hills High football players. A capacity crowd of 1,500 sang along as maestro Gary Greene led the L.A. Lawyers Philharmonic in performing classics written by Beverly Hills notables, including George and Ira Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band" and Cole Porter's "Anything Goes.

Beverly Hills turned 100 on Tuesday and celebrated with a concert and sing-along featuring notable current and former residents. Betty White kicked off the evening at the historic Saban Theater by singing a spirited rendition of the Beverly Hills High School fight song. The veteran TV and film star, 92, was flanked by Beverly Hills High football players. A capacity crowd of 1,500 sang along as maestro Gary Greene led the L.A. Lawyers Philharmonic in performing classics written by Beverly Hills notables, including George and Ira Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band" and Cole Porter's "Anything Goes.

Mark Swed, typical of the '60s student he was, acknowledges that he never listened to the words of UCLA's fight song until he looked them up on the Internet for "A Rivalry Reviewed" (Dec. 2). He repeats the first stanza, starting with the title line "We are Sons of Westwood," but does not mention that the music and all the rest of the lyrics are taken from "We Are Sons of California," which was and still is the fight song of the University of California Bears. In the early days of UCLA, the influence of Berkeley was overweening, so the "Southern Campus," as UCLA was dismissively called, simply adopted the Cal song for its own, a fact that has rankled many alumni for years.

The USC Trojan Marching Band belted out tunes, the USC Song Girls energized the crowd and USC President Max Nikias welcomed people to the "celebration of the written word" as the 2013 L.A. Times Festival of Books kicked off Saturday at the USC stage. Nikias talked about the connected history between USC and the Times as the "two oldest non-religious institutions in Los Angeles. " He also told the crowd that it was a Times sports writer who first referred to USC athletes as the "Trojans.

A Pacific 10 Conference investigation into Saturday's pregame melee between USC and Oregon players has turned up a third possible participant: The Trojan marching band. "We're looking into it," Commissioner Thomas Hansen said. "They may have been a problem." The musicians have not been accused of throwing any punches. If anything, they are guilty of doing what they always do, playing the USC fight song over and over.

Could the New Mexico State University fight song be the most politically incorrect in the country? Some alumni say so and are lobbying for a change. But the last time that was tried, the alternative was booed off the field. New Mexico State's alumni magazine is questioning the song's boozy references. The song includes this line: "And when we win this game, we'll buy a keg of booze and drink it to the Aggies 'til we wobble in our shoes."

Alabama football fans can buy pens, ties, video games, phones and socks that play the Crimson Tide's fight song, and a New York company is humming the tune all the way to the bank. In an unusual mix of athletics and consumer electronics, college sports fans are helping boost the bottom line for a Manhattan-based music publisher that's selling rights to fight songs for use in an array of new products.

This football fight begins with a fight song. The "Big C" has been the California Bears' call to arms since 1913. So when UCLA's "Sons of Westwood" came along, and the sound was suspiciously familiar, there were years of ethical and legal questions. A call to the Library of Congress in 1969 cleared up the legal dispute. The song was never copyrighted. To UCLA, that was the only "Big C" that mattered. So when those at UCLA and California whistle a happy tune about a pleasant " UC family" rivalry when the teams play in Berkeley on Saturday, it's good to remember families don't always get along.

Mississippi fans already have plenty to worry about, given their football team's 1-2 record in the SEC conference this season. And then, there's the matter of the Ole Miss' controversial fight song, "From Dixie With Love." For years now, fans have broken into the chant of "the South will rise again" during the song, which the Ole Miss band performs before and after games. However, after Dr. Dan Jones was installed as Ole Miss' chancellor last summer. He told the school's band director to modify the song after hearing complaints from alumni because they felt the slogan was too offensive and recalled the school's past.

Welcome aboard the Angel bandwagon, and here are the lyrics to the team fight song. The existence of a fight song might surprise even longtime fans, since the Angels stashed the song in the proverbial attic for years. This year, with the return of the traditional halo to the logo, the Angels also brought back the old fight song in one of their television commercials, changing "California Angels" to "Anaheim Angels."

Fight Song A Novel Joshua Mohr Soft Skull Press: 272 pp., $15.95 The San Francisco writer Joshua Mohr's fourth novel, "Fight Song," is a book about that weak and blubbering American species known as Emasculated Man. The novel's protagonist is the symbolically named Bob Coffen. He's a designer of computer games who isn't quite dead - but whose manhood is definitely on life support. As the novel opens Bob is getting one of those corporate work trophies that's supposed to be a boss' thank you for loyalty but ends up making the underling who gets it feel pathetic - it's a "plock," a plaque with a clock that doesn't actually keep time.

Somewhere in Cory Paus' parents' house, buried among happier treasures, is photographic evidence of when UCLA's football struggles began in games at California's Memorial Stadium. It's shown on a newspaper sports page, of which the former Bruins quarterback says, "I wanted to burn it, but they wouldn't let me. " UCLA receiver Brian Poli-Dixon is forever reaching for the ball in the photo. "You would swear it was going to be a touchdown," Paus says. Except that "hands from the wrong color jersey are coming over the top. " Those hands belonged to Jemeel Powell, who picked off the pass in the end zone to preserve the Bears' 46-38 triple-overtime victory on Oct. 14, 2000.

Three days after a chunk of his dream season crashed and splattered across his golden aura, Matt Barkley has agreed to meet with me, with one request. Instead of chatting in the lobby of Heritage Hall, he would like to move our interview to a quiet meeting room to avoid distraction from the USC band practicing outside. It's not that the fight song is too loud. It's that the fight song is too inspiring. "Every time it gets me going," he says. "I don't know how, but that song still really gets me fired up. " Even now, the kid is still all in. Even after being slammed into reality, the kid is still waving that sword.

After it was over, after Lamar Odom had put on his best offensive show of the season, after the Lakers had put on a show in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers, and after Eagles quarterback Michael Vick had whipped the fans inside the Wells Fargo Center into a frenzy with his arrival at the game during the third quarter Friday night, Kobe Bryant eased down the hallway to have his right pinkie X-rayed. The X-rays revealed nothing more serious than a sprain, an injury Bryant played with after it occurred in the first quarter.

Let's be honest: This weekend is just killing time until next weekend, when a season's field could get flipped at Tuscaloosa's Iron Bowl and Reno's "Biggest Little Football Game in the World," Boise State at Nevada. Now is time to muse, reflect, relax, and take in a ballgame at Wrigley Field. As Ernie Banks said about ballparks hosting college football games ? "Let's play two. " America's pass time Illinois and Northwestern are exchanging lineup cards Saturday at Wrigley Field.

This football fight begins with a fight song. The "Big C" has been the California Bears' call to arms since 1913. So when UCLA's "Sons of Westwood" came along, and the sound was suspiciously familiar, there were years of ethical and legal questions. A call to the Library of Congress in 1969 cleared up the legal dispute. The song was never copyrighted. To UCLA, that was the only "Big C" that mattered. So when those at UCLA and California whistle a happy tune about a pleasant " UC family" rivalry when the teams play in Berkeley on Saturday, it's good to remember families don't always get along.

I read with interest the recent article about the USC band. It is wonderful when a band and student body have spirit. I grew up in a rather small Ohio town where football was and is what this town is known for. Their band was and is phenomenal. But with all their spirit and enthusiasm for the past 45 years, they have remembered that the opposing team, band and fans are their guests, and they don't blare their fight song during every play. My sister and I were at the Ohio State-USC game last month.

Chris Andersen will have his mind on the USC-UCLA game Saturday, but he will be listening to the scores on the public address system at the Rose Bowl. Of particular interest: Alabama vs. Auburn. Andersen called KLOS radio Tuesday and bet Mark Thompson of the "Mark and Brian Show" that Alabama, with former UCLA assistant Homer Smith as its offensive coordinator, would beat Auburn. The stakes: If Alabama wins, Thompson will sing the Crimson Tide's fight song to Andersen.

Lane Kiffin refused to grin. He would not allow himself to feel satisfied. After 18th-ranked USC remained unbeaten with a 32-21 victory Saturday over Minnesota, the Trojans' first-year coach said, "We've got to learn to enjoy wins better. " Ya think? USC's season-opening victory at Hawaii left Kiffin disappointed. An unstylish win over Virginia at the Coliseum produced what Kiffin described as a "miserable" locker room. But the USC locker room at TCF Bank Stadium was alive with the joyful sounds of players singing "Fight On" for the first time this season after the Trojans pulled away from a stubborn Minnesota team for their third victory.

Aries (March 21-April 19): You're not a show-off; you're just at home in the spotlight. So stand there a while and take in the applause. Taurus (April 20-May 20): You'll probably encounter an unforeseen snag. Fear not. Your skills haven't left you. Gemini (May 21-June 21): The hurdles only matter insomuch as you allow them to matter. If you keep your eyes on the goal. Cancer (June 22-July 22): You're an expert at navigating change and finding the advantages.